Propeller



Oct. 13, 1931." w SARGENT 7 1,826,957

PROPELLER Filed March 5, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ZZZ/673 Z67 b 4 1 a" Q a ailoifiieg Oct. 13, 1931. w. H. SARGENT 1,826,957

PROPELLER i-iled March 5, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 L J'Wvew to? Patented Get. 13, 1931 PRO FELLER Application filed March My present invention relates to flying ma chines, and more particularly to an improved flying machine 01 the helicopter type.

Helicopters as at present designed are an exceedingly inefficient type of machine, and n0 devices of this character of which I am aware have proved practical or even moderately successful. The losses about the center of revolution of the propeller in most cases more than overbalance the possible lift generated by the outer ends of the blad Farther, in a machine of the straig it helicopter type, either a dual power plant is necessary or else there is no possibility of impart b a forward movement or movement parallel to the surface oi? the earth with such a machine.

In this, my present invention, I have devised an improved flying machine in which there is not only a tractive or pushing movement imparted to the plane by the propellers-e but also a lifting or helicopter movem with the same propellers and such lifting movement takes place simultaneously with the tractive or pushing movement. In car rying out my invention, I provide a propeller of a multiple screw type of blade and in order that the blade may have the most efilcient shape and form, as well as size, 1 tie the plurality of blades together with a diagonally arranged strut, or plurality of struts, such strut or struts having a contour which imparts to it, or them, the function of a propeller blade and the utilization of such a strut adds strength tothe usual propeller blades and enables me to make the same of an ideal form. By mounting such multiple screw and diagonally strutted propeller on a shaft lying parallel to the axis of the machine to which it is attached, I am enabled to impart to the machine lifting movement simultaneously with a forward movement parallel to the ground. Further, by mounting the propeller and its supporting struts on a universally mounted head or nose and providing means for swinging the nose and attached propellers at any angle with respect to the axis of the machine, I may increase or decrease the helicopter efi'ect within desired limits.

An object of my invention, therefore, is an 192s. Serial No. 259,143.

improved flying machine provided with a lifting propeller.

Another object is an improved multi-blade and diagonally strutted propeller.

Another object is a positive directional control device for flying machines. I Ether objects and novel features compris mg my invention will appear as the description of theinvention progresses.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating preferred en'ibodiments of my invention,

Fig. l is a plan view of an airplane to which my invention has been appli ed;

F2 is a i'ront elevation of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan View of a n'iodification oi my invention; I

Fig, l is a side elevation, partly in see- ;ion, of a multi-screw propeller shown in i. 1g. 1;

l and a an aterally outward and upward t I1 m, eit ier side thereof, are supporting struts 14. Supported between the ends oi the struts 1% and the lower surface of the supporting plane 13 is an engine housing 15, here thus being two engine housings 15 in the machine shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The above de scriptionand the showing thereof are diagrammatic and would, of course, vary with the type of machine on which they are assembled. As part of the engine housing 15 there is included a circular rim 16 on which is centered the inner open end of-a pointed hollow hub, or nose, 1? for the multiple blade propelv ler. The hub 17 has secured thereto the outer end of the engine shaft 18. Secured t0 the hub 17 and extending radially outward therefrom at a plurality of points are propeller blades 19. Heretofore it'has been necessary to make propeller blades 19 with sufiicient material in efficient type of propeller blade.

the inner end thereof to support the outer end of such propeller against any strain to which they might be subjected and, therefore, this thickening of the inner end of the propeller blades has heretofore tended to increase the effective hub 17, that is, the heretofore' necessary added thickness to the inner endiof the blades of the propellers increased the portion thereof that rendered the blade ineffective. \Vith my present invention, however, I am enabled to make the con.- tour of the blades 19 of proper form from inner to outer end and of proper cross-sectional area throughout the entire length to obtain maximum efficiency therefrom. In order to sup it such an efficient form of propeller bla e I have attached to the hub 17 one end of each a plurality of struts 20, which struts extend upwardly and outwardly from the axis of the power plant. and such struts are tied or secured to each of the propeller blades 19. The struts 20. therefore, act as support ing members for the propeller blades 19 and enable me to do away with the heretofore in- The shape of the struts 20 is such as to constitutes such struts, in effect, propeller b ades.

Referring to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the propeller blades 19 are arranged as multiple screws, as considering the upper portion of Fig. 1, then the inner one of the propellers 19 marked a is in the same helical path as thepropeller screw b, which is No. 2, which in turn is in the same helical path as the blade opposite from that marked Fc and which will be No. 3, and this latter blade is in the same helical path as the blade marked (1, which is No. 4, and this in turn in the same helical path as the blade marked which is No. 5; and this again is in the same helical path as the blade marked f, which is No. 6. Also, the blade opposite that marked a in a helical path different from that marked a, and that blade marked g is in the same helical path as the blade opite a. Blade 0 is in the same helical path as blade g: blade It is in the same helical path as 0, and the blade opposite the blade e is in the same helical path as the blade h. Also the blade marked f is in the same helical path as the blade opposite the blade 6.

Referring now to Figs. 6 and 7 there is,

shown on the engine housing a conical nose 21 provided at its sport with a universal joint 22, which in turn is associated with the driving shaft 18 of the power plant. Associated with the housing 15 and engaging with the inner surface of the conical nose 21 are con- -rolling rods 23, which may be operated to alter the angle of rotation of the axis of the conical nose 21 with respect to the power shaft 18 in any well known manner. Attached to the apex of the conical nose Z1 is a two-bladed propeller 24 of a shape to obtain the greatest efficiency therefrom and to eliminate to as great an extent as possible the heretofore enlargement at the inner or hub end of said propeller blades. Securing the outer ends of the propeller blades 24 to the conical nose 21 are struts 25, which struts have a shape that constitutes them, in effect, propeller blades. In the structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2, I have utilized both types of propeller that shown in Figs. 4 and 5 and also that shown in 6 and 7. In Fig. 3, however, I have shown the modification or type of propeller illustrated in Fig. 6 as being mounted on the front end of the driving shaft of the ordinary type of engine 26 mounted at the nose of the fuselage 27, such fuselage having attached or being attached to the usual plane 28.

lVhen the device is to be utilized to effect a helicopter action, the tail of the machine is dropped until the longitudinal axis of the machine rests at substantially forty-five degrees to the plane of the earth. Under these onditions, and by referring to Fig. 4, it will be obvious that the multi-screw propeller blades 19 will impart a forward movement to the plane at an angle of forty-five degrees o the earth. Also. there will be imparted, because of the struts propeller blades 20, a lifting action, acting perpendicularly to the earth and also a driving action parallel to the earth. Any tendency on the part of the nose of the machine to swing downwardly because of the upward lift caused by the proreller struts will be counter-balanced by the tendency to drive the lower end of the tail of the machine parallel to the earth. and therefore, there will be a pronounced helicopter action due to the propeller struts 20. This helicopter action may be accentuated at will as regards the form of the device shown in Figs. 6 and 7 by proper manipulation of the controlling rods 23.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

In a device of the kind described, the combination of a rotatably mounted hub, a plurality of radially extending propeller blades mounted thereon, and arranged in a helix about the axis thereof, and a plurality of combined propeller blades and struts for said propeller blades lying at an'angle to the axis of rotation of said blades. i

In testimony whereof, I have signed name to this specification.

\VALTER H. SARGENT. 

